Fixed-pattern noise impact on pilotage sensor performance

Testing dynamic minimum resolvable temperature (DMRT) is one method of measuring the impact of fixed-pattern and temporal noise (FPN/TN) on pilotage performance. We employed simulation to measure dynamic MRT results as a function of target velocity to determine how the apparent motion of objects changes the impact of FPN on pilotage performance. Movement of the target in a DMRT test is analogous to the apparent movement of objects through an optical flow field (the pixel velocity field). Optical flow was measured using the recurrent all-pairs field transforms (RAFTs) model for two helicopter flight paths: one high-speed nap-of-the-earth flight and one slow, high-altitude flight. The distribution of the apparent speeds of objects in the imagery collected during these flights was quantified, and the fixed-pattern noise impact from the DMRT tests was applied to the pilotage optical flow field of the sensor. In this way, the impact of fixed-pattern noise on pilotage was predicted.